Unwritten Memories
by Kupo Stiltzkin
Summary: A collection of FFX-2 drabbles (hundred word stories), with no specific order or genre.
1. Death is Happiness

Disclaimer: FFX-2 and characters are properties of SquareEnix. I'm just borrowing them.

Summary: A collection of FFX-2 drabbles, no specific order or genre. Spoilers for LM.

* * *

**Death is Happiness**

****

It will be so easy to end the life he despised so much. But now, that won't be a fitting end for someone as great as he, right? Throwing himself over the Calm Land's gorge or purposely planting a bullet on his own brain is not a very 'valiant' thing to do. NO, he's too proud for all that. They are for commoners. He is a warrior, living like one and will end like one. A man is only a hero when he dies heroically in battle.

As he drops the fully loaded gun to sand haven and drags himself to the Balivarha, his only thought is: "_At long last, it's finally here_!"

_BANG!_

He turns angrily from the sweet slumber of death in Balivarha's claw withering away to the imbecile who had prevented it from happening.

"How dare you…"


	2. Decision

**Decision**

****

_With this, Spira will be rid of another miserable end. _He questioned his decision even now.

"Baralai!"

He felt his heart leaping up to his throat and inadvertently gulped, but maintained as calm as possible and turned around to face the new comer. "What is it, Shelinda?"

The young priestess stopped running in front of him to catch her breath. "Bad news! They said that Lord Trema took all the spheres we've been collecting and disappeared! Do you have any idea where he went?" 

"I'm just as clueless as you are."

She finally paid attention to what he was doing and literally raised her eyebrows. "Why are you sealing up Via Infinito?"


	3. Lessons

**Lessons**

----

"So, uh, can you tell me again, why do you wanna learn Al Bhed?"

"Because I want to broaden my horizons." Paine answered.

"I can't see how learning our language can broaden your horizons… but oh well, if that's what you want, I'll do it." Gippal shrugged.

"You will?"

"Of course. Anything for you, Dr. P. Now, listen carefully about your first lesson from Daylran Gippal." He cleared his throat. "Repeat after me: _Vilg__ oui_."

"Vilg oui… what does it mean?"

"It means, _thank you_."

"Vilg oui, Gippal."

He snickered. "You're welcome."

(Al Bhed translation: V=F, I=U, L=C, G=K)


	4. Uncertainty

**Uncertainty**

****

"Will this really works?"

"Will what works?"

"Us, Wakka. You and I."

"I can't assure you anything, Lu. I'm not a clairvoyant, and can't see the future. And I'm not trying to sound like a hopeless romantic, but I do believe in one thing: I like the feeling that I have when I'm around you. I feel like I can do anything. I really do." 


	5. Say my Name

**Say my Name**

****

"Now, to start cherishing each other, I want you to do something for me!"

Giggles. "Knowing you, it might be something very naughty."

"Oh~, we'll just have to see about that." Snickers. "I'll begin with the easy part. Let's call each other's name. I'll start first. Yuna."

Widening pupils. "Uh…Abes ace?"

"Not that I don't appreciate that title. C'mon, how hard can it be? Is my name a secret or something?"

"um…Jecht's son."

"Yuna, don't do this to me."

"…_You_."

"…Fine, I'll say it myself. Tid-"

His words are cut off because she hurriedly gives him a passionate kiss on the mouth.


	6. Lemon

**Lemon**

****

"Please, Yuna, just one!"

"No! Wakka, I can't believe you're doing this to me! Are you going to break your promise to Lulu?"

"She'll never know if you don't tell her."

"I don't – I can't do this! She'll kill us both if she ever finds out!"

"Just one! Please!"

Yuna sighed heavily, and placed down the Lemon pie she baked earlier on the table. Wakka quickly grabbed a slice and stuffed it inside his mouth.

"You'll never fit in your tux if you don't start dieting."

"I know, I'll start tomorrow." 

"You said that yesterday, and the day before, and also the day before that…"


	7. Beauty

**Beauty**

"My daily menu is

Breakfast: Stir fried Ochu 

Snack: Youth League fighter from Mushroom Rock road.

Lunch: Fried Flan

Second Lunch: Roasted Sahagin 

Tea time: Behemoth Steak

Dinner: Cactuar Salad

Late night snack: Old woman from Besaid Island

This is my daily menu, but sometimes I eat other things when I feel hungry."

Shinra stared at the fiend in front of him. "I see…"

"I used to be a very beautiful and sexy girl, you know. …What's with the look? You don't trust me?"

He shook his head. "No, I mean, I believe you."

"Good. You see, when I was a human, I tried my best to watch my figure, and did anything to maintain it, ignoring the fact that I loved eating so much. The boys loved my body because I starved myself to death. Then I died, and look at me now. Look at my daily menu for fayth's sake!"

"Oh yeah, I really do wonder."

"When I do reborn as a human again, I won't hold back my appetite. I'll eat much as I want, and men just have to love me the way I am."

"Of course."

"So, do you get what I was trying to say?"

Shinra hung his head low for a long time, and faced the fiend again after pondering for a good thirty minutes. "Don't attempt on a diet unless you want to turn into a Great Malboro when you die?"


	8. I LOVE thunder

**I LOVE thunder**

****

Gippal's journal, Thunder Plains, Wednesday, June 26th, EC (Eternal Calm) 1

"_Please donate one of your legs, she needs to hold on something, and your ears, because she needs to scream till her lungs explode_." 

…Vilg. Heh, I'll give her _more_than that, Brother. You'll just have to see. Somehow, I have to relate that line to my Current Status: Rikku instantly fell in love with my leg at Thunder Plains. Cid's little girl finally fell asleep conveniently on my lap after tireless hours of screeching (I can still hear it in echoing inside my head) that was about to make me deaf. That cuh uv y pedlr brother of hers left her in my responsibility, saying that I still owe him one because Istolehisfirstcrush and he has to go search his 'dream' machina (or was it an airship?) on some frozen waste land with Buddy.  

…I also have something else to do, tyssed! And I can't do it with Miss-I'm-scared-of-thunder-but-I'm-gonna-fight-it-no-matter-what attached to my leg. And guess what? She said she's gonna camp here for a whole week. Brother didn't tell me when he's coming back, either. Great. Just great. Hey, not that I'm complaining or something – she's better off sleeping. The real problem when she's awake is that she'll immediately start this creepy uncharacteristic laugh, shriek at every sign of lightning, and latch herself to my boot. Besides, I'll sound like a hypocrite if I denied the fact that she's kinda cute when she's asleep. Say, should I find someplace connected to thunder for the Machine Faction's Head Quarters? So maybe I can find myself trapped to a situation similar to this one? Or maybe I should build one right here… Crap, I can't think straight with her on my lap.

Think, Gippal. Think of thunder. Thunder. THUNDER.


	9. Determination

**Determination**

Nooj opened his eyes and cleared his throat. The action wasn't intended to gather their attention, since all Youth League members were watching him with undivided attention, and gave him the freedom of a fish in a tank.

"Therefore, I will disband the Youth League."

The members watch Nooj with disbelief, half of them hoping that it's just a stupid joke. Much to their dismay, the meyvn is never the type that plays with his words. 

"Are you going to stop me, Lucil?" 

The red-haired woman shook her head. "We followed you because you gave us a goal, Meyvn. We've achieved that goal. We won't question your decision. I believe that you decided what's best for Spira and the rest of us."

"...Thank you."

"No, the honor is mine, sir. _Thank you_."


	10. Substitute

**Substitute**

**----**

"Do you really think Isaaru can replace you?"

"What are you saying, Paine? Don't underestimate Isaaru, he's no amateur. Watch."

Paine turns to the direction Baralai points, and sees Isaaru and Pacce sitting on the dining table.

"Pacce, eat your carrot."

The boy frowns at the orange blob on his plate. "No way! It looks disgusting."

Isaaru groans in frustration. "Are you going to eat it or not?"

"NO!"

"Fine, if you don't want to eat it, go to your room."

"You're not fair! Not fair, not fair, not fa-"

"Life's not fair! Go to your room!"

"I HATE YOU!"

Baralai and Paine watch Pacce leaves the dining table in frenzied tears. Isaaru turns to slam his forehead on the dining table.

Paine turns to the praetor. "I'm SO convinced."


	11. Originator

**A/N: **Thanks for the correction, Ikonopeiston. Please don't hesitate to tell me if there're other mistakes.

**

* * *

**

**Originator **

"Now, the rumors around said that I used to be a priest, but do you know the real fact?"

"No, lord Trema."

"Do you know that place at the Calm Lands where an old codger used to sell special weapons to capture fiends, summon new and improved fiends, and give rewards to people that can defeat them?"

"Yes?"

"With so many monsters captured, that place was incredibly stuffed. So, what happened? Sin is gone, and the youth turned into a bunch of spineless, spoiled, and good for nothings. With the maesters gone, Bevelle was in an uproar, I moved in and set my new base. Placed my beloved fiends inside Via Infinito too. Then I started the sphere hunt, and set up a new trend where they'll dress less and shoot more."

"...I see."

"Admit it, you _like_ the _dress less_ idea, Baralai."

"Yes, lo- no, I am NOT!"


	12. Believe me, I can't fly

**Believe me, I can't fly**

**----**

Paine's journal, Yadonoki Tower, June 15th, EC 2

When I joined the Gullwings, Brother made it sure that I obey two rules if I want to stay:   
1) There's only one man that can pilot the Celsius: Brother.  
2) And no one else.

And there goes my dream as a pilot, buried deep beneath my sphere hunting adventures. I tried to be happy with flying, even though I felt kinda disappointed at the rules. When we met again, it turns out that I'm the only one who really hasn't realized my dream. Nooj, THE Nooj, whose brain always filled with suicidal thoughts two years ago, managed to round up this motley bunch that calls him 'Captain' and follows him everywhere he goes like leeches. For crying out loud, _WE_'re the one who made him Captain. He doesn't even like the title for Fayth's sake. And Gippal, who can't stay put at one place more than three days, with his latest project on Farplane's energy with Rin and Shinra, can be considered 'Engineer' of Spira. Baralai said that he's a navigator turned to be captain. Then I thought, isn't guiding people that feel lost through the winds of change can also be called navigating? But I'm not gonna tell him that. They're gonna disband soon, anyway.

Then Rikku offered me to be the pilot for our trip to the tower 'cause Brother's not around, and I couldn't resist the urge. I really want to see the look in his face when Celsius takes off without him. But it didn't go well. Let's say that it... collide into the ground several times before it generally takes off. Yuna and Rikku's face turned into unhealthy green, and they begged, no, more like 'forced' me to activate the auto-pilot.

"_No, Paine, you're a GREAT pilot. But I don't want to risk the knowledge of not able to see Tidus again before I die. Please, I just met him again after two years_."

She was almost in tears, you know. Okay, Yuna. Whatever you say.

There goes another dream flushed down the toilet. A writing career seems really tempting now…


	13. Adjustment

**Adjustment**

**----**

****

Go with the flow, they said. The Al Bheds are renowned for never dwelling in the past. Their leader's decision to demolish the Bikanel Home to smithereens has led his kind scattered all over Spira, and none -except their leader- is keen on returning. And so there she was with all her brand new sphere hunter look, generally succeeded in dragging her cousin out of her uneventful life and flew all over the globe to spread the knowledge of her people. Yet inside she's still the 15 year old with the memories of old kept.

Cid was supposed to be happy with his daughter's decision, yet he called her up today, and getting ready with his lecture. Rikku knew this better than anyone, since it's about her 'flying' status.

"As I told you before, I don't like unwed girls running around doing crazy stuff," The old man paused and ran a concerned look at her outfit before adding, "and _half naked_ too!"

Rikku felt her eyes grow wide, and opened her mouth to speak - only to be cut off by her older sibling's remark.

"Men like to undress mentally, Vydran. She's just giving them a little help."


	14. Conflict

**Conflict**

----

Baralai shifted his feet awkwardly and crossed his arms across his chest. The pistol concealed inside his sleeve was cold against his torso, and he fought off the urge to take it out. He shuddered at the thought of fighting off the urge to pull the trigger later. "Gippal sure is late." he muttered at last.

"Gippal and punctuality don't belong in the same sentence. Don't say it like you don't know."

"…I kind of forgot after you planted a bullet on my back, though."

Nooj slowly looked up to face him. "Can't we just let the past be, Baralai? Forgive and forget?"

"I will forgive you. I might even try to forget," Baralai paused before adding, "If only you would tell me _why_. If the Al Bheds weren't around, we could have-"

"Died?" Nooj finished for him. "I wondered how you get that praetor title in the first place with your naivety. Did you lock up that old codger Trema somewhere? And what did you do to the last chairman and his son?"

Baralai stared at the Meyvn with a look of anything but pleasant.

Nooj gave out a hollow laugh. "Look at us. Two years ago, you nosey cadets always stopped me in anyway you can every time I wanted to end this miserable life. And here we are - notorious _captains_ of Spira. I bet you wanted nothing more than to kill me now."

"Funny how things turned out."

The sound of Gippal's unhurried steps heading their direction stopped Nooj from confronting Baralai any further. 


	15. Send off

**Send-off **

----

The first guardian returned to the frozen peaks of Gagazet not long after the High Summoner's daughter -now High Summoner herself- speech at Luca. With that, his oath to the dying man has been fulfilled.

"Have a safe journey," he heard Lulu whispered earlier.

"No worries, ya?" Wakka replied. "We will take care of her."

Yuna has bid farewell to him in a gracious manner when he took his leave, with half drenched eyes, quick hug, and "I'll miss you." Her words were gentle, unbearably gentle, and she has forced out a cracked smile on her lips, making Kimahri felt like weeping. The girl didn't seize his leg and plead him to stay like 10 years ago when he stood before SS Liki. For her thought was truly occupied at the ocean, fully wishing her whistles will eventually summon something, or rather, _someone_ from the depths.

He knew he has to stay and comfort her like he once did, and all he said was, "Kimahri will miss Yuna too."

On board SS Liki, he saw Yuna standing at the port and waving a feeble hand at him. And he still saw the little girl she left within the island's care, standing there alone when all the villagers have left for their daily activity, hoping that she wasn't crying.

A long and piercing whistle broke through the air, and the guardian's thoughts shattered.


	16. Requiem

**Requiem**

----

_"Ie Yui _

_Nobo Me No _

_Ren Mi Ri_

_Yoju Yogo _

_Hasa Teka Nae _

_Kuta Mae"_

The hymn's tune played like an old, familiar lullaby to him. Ironically, countless Summoners of old had chanted the song in Cloister of Fayth an attempt to arouse them up from the cold slumber. It has been sung for millennia throughout temples, and now it resonated through the Farplane.

The fayth stirred up to look at the colossal machine, and turned in an alarming speed when he heard the chant again from his back. "A song sung in defiance of Bevelle...and now I'll turn it as a requiem for Spira."

Bahamut eyed the newcomer carefully, and frowned at the man's resemblance to one of his dreams. "How…?"

"You don't need to know. Because you-" The man muttered and smirked at the boy, "And your siblings will be my Weapons to _liberate_ Spira."

The fayth took a step back. "You can't! Stop this at once!"

"Wrong. I _can_," The man droned simply, "Be grateful, because I'm going to free you from this spiral of death. So nobody will have to live in this web of lies anymore."

The pyreflies swarmed all over the fayth, and he heard the man murmured softly before consciousness slipped away from him. "Pray, savior... Dream, Child of Prayer... Forever and ever, bring us peace... Soon, Lenne. Soon…"

He woke up to Yuna's cry, stretching her arms, as if stopping him from crashing down.

"You must stop!"

He had meant to warn her to escape. Yet, his warning came out like the deafening roar of a beast.


	17. One way ticket to Farplane

**One way ticket to Farplane**

----

"You're such a pain-"

"Well, duh."

"-in the ass."

2 years ago, I would do anything to get on an airship. Now, they might have to walk over my lifeless body. The trip started plain, simple, and far off from troubled. It began with Paine's words: "_Let's take a vacation with the Celsius. You'll definitely have some fun_."

Ridiculously, I believed her. I had totally forgotten how that woman can be a cruel, talented liar at times. It's funny how we thought that we've talked Nooj out of his suicidal thoughts, and then Paine got plagued by his persona. I didn't know why, but her idea of having fun has suddenly turned to getting herself killed. Maybe she thinks that all the adrenaline rush is a bit exciting. I simply couldn't understand. The take-off was a bit rough, but the flight definitely will be plaguing my nightmares from this day onward. When the engine roared and flew off, the first thought that surfaced through my mind was the headline for tomorrow's Luca News: 'Ex-Praetor of New Yevon died in an airship crash.' It's incredibly ironic when you think about it, since Spira only has two airships. I've survived through two fatal betrayals, one trip to the Farplane and back, but I don't think I can live to tell the tale of a flight piloted by Paine.

"Nice comment, Gippal," Paine smiled sheepishly. She turned to me. "How did it go?"

"That is my first," I answered. "-and definitely my last flight."

"Is it really that bad?"

"Honestly, when you said 'Let's have some fun', I never thought of it as 'one way ticket to Farplane'."

Gippal snorted. "Well, I bet he totally lost it when I was shrieking '_No, steer it to the right, to the right I say! DON'T CRASH ON THAT FUCKING MOUNTAIN_!!'"

She winced. "Hey, at least we reach the destination."

"I thought we're going to Zanarkand," Nooj, who has been silent for a while, finally spoke up.

"Zanarkand's just another three hour walk away," Paine said.

Nooj, luckily, was positioned nowhere near the cockpit, and enjoyed the view from our back. He had missed all the fun of seeing how high we're from the ground and how close we're before crashing on the- "What's the name of this place again?" I asked.

"Gagazet ruins," Paine said.

"I'd rather walk, thank you very much," Gippal muttered. "For the love of Fayth, woman… did you ever take any piloting lessons from Brother?"

"How could I be if he never let me take the helm, genius?"

"HAH! So you did steal this airship in the first place."

The Al Bhed has jumped off from the engineer's seat when the take off went bumpy, and grabbed the helm from Paine in a harsh manner. Before, he was giving directions to Paine, (which was supposed to be my job, but I was too occupied with the last meal I've eaten dancing in my stomach and threatening to come out from my mouth.) and now was crouching on the bridge's transparent base, scratching his head.

I turned around to see Nooj, and found him with eyes cast down and- and-

"Oh, great. See, now Baralai's turned nuts because of you, Dr. P."

Gippal and Paine was staring at me, and it took me a moment to realize that I was laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"No, it's just that…" I covered my mouth to stop myself from laughing. "Nooj is- he's-"

They whirled their body and found the unexpected; Nooj's face practically drenched white. The Deathseeker finally laughed when he saw their jaw dropped, and Paine and Gippal followed.

"Paine," he said slowly.

"Yeah?"

"Next time, if you want to have fun or catch up on old times, just… settle for a cup of coffee, okay?"

"Got it. So, all we need to do is to fly Celsius over to Zanarkand Ruins, right? Who's with me?" Paine asked.

Pause.

"Gippal, Baralai," Nooj said. "See you at Zanarkand."

With that said, he turned and walked as fast as he can to the elevator.

"Hey, cheater!" Gippal yelled.

"Relax, guys," Paine said, revving up the airship's engine. "Practice makes perfect. Besides, it's my party. So you'll cry if I want you to."


	18. Winter Fangs

**Winter Fangs**

----

Two years has passed like a summer breeze, and Kimahri's ascend to the Elder's throne felt as fresh as Gagazet's winter wind. Though he spent his last ten years in Besaid's balmy weather, he still preferred the mountain's breeze on his fur. Kimahri bestowed the Ronso children with stories of Yuna's pilgrimage as their bed time tales, and ascended the 'Elder' title automatically without needless disagreement. The Ronsos were born brazen and rough creatures due to icy mountain and their years of training to protect the Sacred Mountain for the Summoners' safe journey. And yet, they're creatures with a thirst for knowledge and wisdom.

Except one.

The remaining Ronsos are out for blood without Kelk.

A young, brazen Ronso with a proud and shiny horn challenged Kimahri on a duel, and greeted him with the nickname crowned on him by brothers Biran and Yenke. The new elder replied the youth's challenge with calm, soothing words of, "Violence not solve problem. Garik must learn that."

The younger Ronso cleared his throat in a rude manner, and turned his back at Kimahri, who was staring at the glistening sphere tucked comfortably beneath Gagazet's silver flakes.

----

He caught the appearance of an energetic figure that was running up the hill, waving her hands in an attempt to catch his attention. Blonde braids clicked in rhyme with Gagazets' air stream as he sat up from his story teller corner. "Kimahri!"

"Rikku seemed well."

"You too, Kimahri!" The Al Bhed girl smiled widely and looked around. "So, why did you call me? Everything seemed to be in order."

"Kimahri find something that Rikku might want to see." He produced a bright colored sphere from his pocket and activated the record with a click of his long, taloned fingers. "Kimahri think looking at road ahead better than looking back on things lost. But Auron once say-"

'_I know you're listening. If she was your girl, what would you do_?'

The Al Bhed stared at the image depicted off the sphere and let out a heavy sigh when the record finally ended. "Searching the past to find the future… I know, Kimahri," Rikku said, taking the sphere from the Ronso's grasp.

"I'll see to it that Yuna receives this."


	19. Waltz of the Moon

**Waltz of the Moon **

----

The moon didn't hold her sway that night, and the villagers of Besaid went to party once more beneath it, relishing the moment for their returning friend. But still, a lone face leaned over the village's outer edge, unwilling to join and savor the celebration, her thoughts leading to a faraway island instead of the festivity before her. A shooting star crossed the midnight colored sky, and when her gaze returned to Spira, she found a familiar face was also watching the meteor.

The familiar face pointed one finger up, and approached her with a pleasant smile across the lips. Leaning over, took a peek at her face before asking, "You're the best looking girl in here. Dance with me?"

When she didn't give any decent reply, the familiar face rested chin on hands. "Let me guess. You'll only dance with someone that you like."

Slow movements of index fingers in front of her eyes, hopefully swaying her away to one song, perhaps two. "You're going to like me, you're going to like me…" Clapped hands. "Did it work?"

She shook her head slightly. "I can't dance," she said finally, "And you certainly have someone else to ask."

Yuna almost pouted. "Oh, but he's practically wasted over there…" She pointed in front of Wakka's hut, where the Aurochs and the blonde guy they found earlier were drinking. "C'mon, just one song. All right, Paine?"

Letting out a long sigh, she finally stepped out from the shadow and felt herself bathed in moonlight.

----

**A/N: **this is not meant as a yuri, but I won't be surprised if it's read that way. The character designer of FFX-2 said that the model character for Paine is Squall Leonhart of FF8. Go figure. 


	20. Crybaby

**Crybaby**

**----**

"Welcome to the Farplane. Population 5 million and increasing. It sucks here, and I bet you're gonna love it since you'll be here FOREVER."

The first thing Shuyin witnessed when he finally arrived at the Farplane (again) was a big, bulky man with the most despicable grin he ever saw. The man has a vaguely recognizable tattoo on his chest, and before he could figure out where he has seen the shape, the bear-like man has draped an arm over his shoulder, pulling him into a head lock.

"Oy! Let go of me!" Shuyin said, trying his best to release the man's grip.

"Can't do, kiddo. Farplane tradition," The man said, grinning. "I'll show you the way around."

And that's how the man pulled him from the flower field to the farthest place in the Farplane, and Shuyin walked along, grumbling inchoherent curses as the man still have him in a headlock.

"And here we have the Vegnagun," the man said, after what seemed like forever. "It escaped from Bevelle's underground one day and attempted to destroy Spira again. People are not very nice, eh? They don't learn from their mistakes."

"Are we done yet?" Shuyin said, his body trembling from head to toe from his anger.

"Jecht, let him go. You're scaring the poor kid."

Shuyin looked up angrily to a man in red, which appeared out of nowhere. "I am NOT scared!"

"Really?" The man in red shrugged, turning to face Jecht. "I guess you should show him more places."

"Gotcha, Auron." Jecht gave the man in red a thumb up. "C'mon crybaby, let's go."

"I'm NOT a crybaby!!"

"Gonna cry again? Cry, cry, cry. That's the only thing you're good for!"

"Jecht, I think you're mistaking him for someone else…"

Shuyin's desperate scream echoed all over the Farplane.


	21. Bliss

A/N: For the '_Something New_' fic challenge in LJ. Since I never write a non dialogue story before, here it goes...

**Bliss**

----

In the world where we have an invincible, merciless monster that attacks everything that moves, marital age was early. My parents got married in their early teen. My father admitted that he has to continue the family line, seeing that he's an only son. I was born when they were barely twenty, and they absolutely have no idea how to raise a kid. The earliest memory of my childhood was how my mother kept feeding me with whatever she could find or grab a hold to. When I grew slightly older, I found out that it was to shut me up. Croissants, Behemoth steaks, mashed potatoes, fried chocobos… I could eat five meals a day and usually still got up in the middle of the night for two bags of potato chips.

My old man has always told me, be happy in whatever I do. Smile was a rare find in Spira, and my memories of him always consisted of his laughter and grins. I grew up to a big, jolly size and was fifteen when Sin attacked the village. Rebuilding was out of the question. I was one of the few numbers among the survivors, and most of them had left to bigger, better cities.

I left the ruins of my village, carrying my father's shield with a new shiny hope in my chest. But I have no monk material in me, let alone a summoning talent. My daily menu has been decreased to twice a day, and at the middle of the night I still sat right up, smothering my grumbling stomach. But as long as I have food in my stomach and air in my lungs-

_Ormi__, whatever you do, please be happy._

-I prayed that someday a summoner will banish Sin forever.

I sang, sang so damn loudly till I felt my voice was gone when the airship flew up there with Sin tailing dangerously, and the long awaited Calm finally came. _This is happiness_, I imagined. I could finally grasp the original meaning of happiness. But an even creepier leader came and he _purified_ the 1000 years old organization, declaring it as his 'New Yevon'. I wasn't the brightest tool in the shed, Logos told me this repeatedly. The monks and priests, for another. My diligence and taste for extra meal didn't stand up to the New Group's standard. When the whole world was still celebrating the arrival of Eternal Calm, we walked along the windy streets of Bevelle in late autumn and started to scrape through garbage can, searching for anything edible. When the only thing you can find in a foul smelled place were fish bones and rotten bread, can you refuse if someone offer you warm food and a place to stay for the night? I already smelled worst than the trash back then.

That woman came out of the blue when the first snow fell, with thick blankets and a basket of butter rolls. She even promised that there're even warm soup and more meat if I go to her place. I didn't like her style, I hated the way she talked, the way she smoothed her blond hair and shook her hips while she was walking. The scent of her perfume made me nauseous, yet I didn't mind.

And I followed Leblanc wherever she goes since that day, announcing that I'm happy to be of service to her.


	22. Fallacy

**Fallacy **

-x-x-

_Did you ever try to go to the edge of the world? _

His parents had taught him that Spira is a perfectly round and beautiful blue planet. Nobody has left this star yet, but he claimed this theory when she stated that if flying could take her to the edge of the world, she'd do anything for it.

He didn't know how long he has walked. The only thing he realized, he might lose his ache terribly fast if he kept walking, with his wounded flesh crying against frozen metal limbs, and he didn't do as much as blink.

_Macalania __Lake__ is beautiful this time of the year_, he remembered a -comrade- once told him that, and he winced momentarily.

_After everything's settled down, you guys wanna go there together? I've never seen snow before. _

He finally reached that place, where the lake was sparkling beneath the cliff he's standing on, and he felt that he was finally forgiven. But everywhere he saw was layers and layers of white, and the whooshing howl of snowstorm deafened his ears. Ice has covered his glasses, and their weight was crushing his nose. Right now, as he felt the phantom was vast asleep, recollection of tattered bodies of former comrades in the Highway's sunset haunted him even more. He once dreamed about Unsents with faces paler than snow, walking through him like he's one among them and when he looked down he saw that all of his fingernails has fallen off from decay, leaving only rotten and blackened finger tips. Ironically, he always thought that he would turn in to a fiend with claws jutting out of his fingers and venom emerging out of his fang filled mouth every time he hiss.

The edge of the world indeed.

As he lowered his body to look further down, a voice called, and for the first time he finally turned around.

"If you're going to jump," the woman said to him, considering her next words, "please think about it."

He could see someone, magenta and yellow covered with white, everything was white. She took a step closer, and he took a step backward. The ice beneath cried from his weight and his footing was losing steadiness rapidly. Offering a hand forward, he saw the woman's hand, gloveless and shivering from the storm. "You've seen the edge of the world," he could hear her teeth clattering from each of her syllable, "Come back to Spira now."

_Come back to me. _

**You're not Lenne, **his inner mind chided as he took her hand.

**But you'll do. **


	23. Cause and Effect

**Cause and Effect**

- - - -

I thought I would never face another gun being pulled up to my face again, or dodging bullets from another man, not being controlled by a thousand year old phantom, but by extreme anger alone. Boy, I was extremely WRONG. Between the rain of bullets and Molotov bombs, I could hear screams of, "Stop it Cid, you're going to kill him!"

"Don't worry," There was a brief pause of barraging bullets and I heard a gun's trigger clicked stridently somewhere. "I AM planning to do so."

_Vilg._

Ever had that hang over where waking up was like trying to pull yourself out of quicksand?

I have one this morning, when the surrounding was dazed, the sound of your bed creaking was like a mad woman's shrill scream, and Spira was going round and round. I'm eighteen, and I needed to enjoy every bit of my life before Sin came and ground everything to ashes. Okay, that was a lame excuse since Sin was gone for two years. Let's just say I went out to have a life and have some drink with friends and didn't even know why I woke up on my own bed instead of some unknown street side, hugging an empty bottle of martini. Yeah, that kind of hangover where you didn't even remember what sort of things went into your stomach or whose pants you got into and you couldn't find even 1 gil in your pocket to pay for the ride home.

It would have been nice if the girl had left nicely with a peck on your cheek, and her number written with lipstick on the mirror. But I had the worst in my lifetime. Hey, I've been known as the Don Juan back at Home, doncha know? I was The Magnificent Gippal, the only Al Bhed alive who could name every single girl living on Bikanel Island. My reputation even went as far off as Zanarkand – guess what those bubbly, luscious tour guides decided to gave me?

Well, I could name every girl. Except one, and almost everybody except the girl knows the real reason. What ever caused it? ...It's quite a long story, but anyway, I was still a fresh, vigorous, adventurous fourteen year old who just thought that this gal that his best friend liked has the cutest smile. That moronic Brother, literally turned into the bumbling, more moronic Brother in front of the girl that he liked, and it was up to me to give her this hand-made music box that Brother had magically created from scraps of iron and junk circuits. The girl had smiled at me with the most adorable blush I've ever seen, and admitted that she has liked ever me since she's a wee five year old.

One thing: I'm a fair man. I LOVE everybody _equally_. Now, I wasn't that kind of bastard that will betray his best friend and decided to make out with his first crush in front of him. I wasn't that son of a bitch who would break a cute girl's heart just because my childhood friend was crazy about her. I took the middle path: we made out at a place where I thought everybody would never know and told her not to tell anyone about it. I've conveniently forgotten that Home's just a small hideout of the Al Bhed's, where silent make out sessions couldn't remain unseen or unheard. The worst thing about it, the one who found us with our feet entangled on the floor, and our hands in inappropriate places all over our bodies was Rikku herself. The good thing about it, she didn't report it to her brother...yet. Though I made her promise not to rat out on me and not telling anybody else, I made the worst move possible – I gave her a quick peck on the lips and pat her head for being such a good little girl. Again, I've conveniently forgotten how Cid's girl would react if I ever, ever treat her like a kid.

That day, Brother made a war declaration: Gippal's hazardous. Gippal's a threat to humanity. Gippal must not go near Rikku and any other girl that Brother likes. I bet he's told his old man about this as well. Cid always had this despised look no matter how I grinned or joked around him. It's as if he would rather blow up my head to smithereens with a bazooka rather than hear me talk.

Could you guess what ol' mighty Cid, great former leader of the Al Bhed would do if he find his precious daughter, bare naked on my bed, with our clothes scattered around my room and Rikku's yellow bikini tied around my neck?


	24. Trust and Treachery

**Trust and Treachery **

_- _

It was supposed to be a celebration, but there was no hint of happiness on the bride's face. Glancing at my reflection on the mirror when I walked in to the room, she blinked her mismatched eyes carefully before turning back to the bouquet in her hands.

One of the priestess placed a white sheer veil on the bride's head and tugged it carefully to her hair, gently enough not to ruin the elegant ponytail. "There you go, all set." The priestesses proudly showed her reflection in a full-length mirror when the white veil was on.

She kept her stare at her own reflection at the mirror in front of her, as if trying to find any flaw on her porcelain face, or any minute mistake that the make up artists has accidentally did. She couldn't find anything. She looked almost divine. It was perfect.

I knew she hated it.

"You look beautiful, Lady Yuna." I smiled, offering my hand. "Shall we go now?"

Rising to her feet, she ignored my hand. "Is it time?"

"Maester Seymour is not a patient man." I asserted, keeping at the back of my mind that he's an unsent now.

She gently moved, and one of the priestess rushed over to straighten some crease at the wedding gown. I glanced at her face. Her look was calm enough, but tears were brimming at the corner of her eyes.

"I need to talk to Lady Yuna for a while." I said, and one priestess gave me a weird stare. "It'll be quick."

Both priestesses glanced at each other, and nodded before going out.

Yuna sat down on the chair, faced the mirror, and wiped her eyes with a gloved hand. "What is it?"

I crossed my arms and studied her look at the mirror. "From your look, people would think you're going to a funeral."

"I'm about to marry an unsent," she almost spat out the last word. "...an unsent that killed his own father only to lay claim to a position."

"Lord Seymour wouldn't want you to break down and cry before reaching the altar."

"That will make quite some problem, isn't it?"

"Why do you fight, Lady Yuna?"

Her reflection stared back at me, puzzled. "What?"

"Why do you fight him? Defying a maester of Yevon has only resulted at you and your guardians being marked as heretics."

"He wanted to kill my friends," she stared sternly at my eyes. "I will not stand by and watch them die before my eyes."

There were times when I would throw away just anything to protect my friends. I believed they would do just that for me as well, after all the pleasant memories we had made, short they might be, but they'd be treasured for a lifetime. At least, I used to believe that kind of nonsense before one single bullet made its way to my back, enough to shatter my belief on Spira and all those nonsensical, sentimental feelings.

"Do you really believe that your friends will do the same for you?" I asked, hoping the answer would at least be a pleasing one. "That they'll protect you no matter what happens? Where are they now?"

She considered my challenge carefully, perhaps wording her reply as not to sound too tactless. "You should place trust in your friends. But you can't expect someone to protect you all the time."

The summoner blinked her mismatched eyes slowly again, and stared at my reflection in the mirror. "I believe in them, and they believe in me. As long as that continues, no matter what happens, I'll see this through to the end. I will keep on fighting."

Back then, the eighteen-year-old me had abandoned the idea of struggling for camaraderie. Trust was a very fragile thing to keep, once broken; it would never be the same. But the woman in front of me held no indecision—painfully; her look reminded me to those days of careless laughs and sand, sand filling our shoes and the folds of our clothes.

"You believe that you will bring everything back together," And you will send Lord Seymour."

Yuna gasped involuntarily as I produced her summoner staff, and placed it neatly at her hands. Turning around, she looked at me for the first time. "…Why?"

"Because I believe you can do it."

I offered my hand to her. She took it without hesitation this time, and let me led her to the door. "Inside the great hall, there's a lift that will bring you directly to the cloisters of trial. _He_ lays in waiting."

I opened the door for her, and she muttered a quick 'thank you' before walking out of the room.

We walked the long halls of Bevelle in silence, one of the priestess lifted the end of her dress and several Yevon guards followed us mutely. Before she entered the gate to the long bridge connecting the altar, I gave her the last proper Yevon greeting. "Best of luck to you."

The guards followed her to the bridge, and as the gate closed between us, she turned around. "Wait! I don't know your name!"

Beaming at her, I enunciated the only words that crossed my mind at that time. "My friends address me as the_ navigator_."


	25. Demi Gods

**Demi Gods  
**

Even before the whistle was blown, Bahamut would always be sitting on the top row that overlooked the whole stadium, watching as the players scramble to their positions. He needed to be there, drinking in the view of the spectators, the excited shout, adrenaline rush and endless cheering.

No other Aeon was interested long enough to organize two major blitz ball tournament every year, it was grunt work that required a keen interest, more than advanced understanding of the rules and gained almost no respect. It's too long and tedious to keep up, and Bahamut only maintained the persistence through pure love for the game. That, and the thought of Shuyin's dream-clone might be the one that will change their world.

Yojimbo was sitting at the frontmost seat when Tidus hurled the ball pass the Duggle player, patting Daigoro's head in satisfaction when the Duggles scored.

Much later that night, after Jecht-Sin finally left the ruined city in his wake, Bahamut scanned the stadium from his favorite seat again, taking in the view of wreckage and broken buildings, and the remains of Sin spawn etched on their streets. They'd put the whole town to sleep, and the next morning will be just another day in clean and orderly Zanarkand, and the dreams' only memory of the night would be the disappearance of Abes' Ace before the game.

Even with his hood on, he didn't need to spare a glance to find Yojimbo wobbling toward him, his faithful canine hot in his trails. They were fully awake in their dreams, and no sleep was required when the soul was bind to practice violence for every believer that entered the Chamber of the Fayth.

"You could have told me Sin was coming," The man tossed a bag of coin in his right hand, and stopped before Bahamut, "I lost quite a fortune tonight, thanks to you."

There were glass shards and shrapnels digging into the bare palms of his feet when the boy slid down from his seat. Inwardly he winced, although he had been practicing to ignore it, especially when summoners expected him to incinerate all creations to ashes almost hourly. "I wonder if Shiva knew how to whip up margarita."

Yojimbo snorted, and slid his coin bag into his pocket. "Couldn't be too hard. I thought you enjoyed blitz ball more." he crouched down and signaled Bahamut to climb aboard his back.

Sighing to himself and noting the cuts on his feet, Bahamut grumpily agreed. "Don't think that by doing this," he swung his feet to Yojimbo's side, "I'm letting the Duggles win next time. You'll learn to bet in the next game fair and square."

"Never crossed my mind," the older man snorted, casting a gaze at the view before them. "Dang, no wonder you're always sitting here."  
Yojimbo was strangely chatty tonight, and losing the grouchy edge that always seemed to be his trade. Bahamut shifted his hold on the man's shoulder, pondering on his next words. "My father's favorite seat."  
The man pulled himself up, and whistled for Daigoro to follow. "Speaking about that--Valefor said that Braska's daughter has entered the Cloister of Trials."  
Finding himself bereft of any coherent reply, the boy resolved to nodding, resting his chin on top of Yojimbo's shoulder.

"She'll reach Bevelle," Yojimbo adjusted his hold on the boy as he padded down the stadium's stairs. "although it might take a while."

"We could only hope."

They dare not say it, only allowed the city's faint noise filling their silence.

"Why are you doing this?" The boy regarded his fellow Fayth with a strangely steady voice, unrattled with the out of character, sudden action.

"Because you're the first to admit aloud that this life was fake, and moving on was the right thing to do."

Bahamut made a mental note not to hold on tighter to Yojimbo's neck, as enticing it may seem.

"You've done well, kid, and deserved more than a pat on the back."

For the first time in many years, he didn't feel like the thousand year old Aeon encased in a child's body, and sobbed like a human.


	26. By a thread

**By a thread**

He heard their voices drifting through the large double doors, the prominent early leaving, the High Summoner's hesitation, and Paine's indifferent tone.

Two years and bullet scars in their skin have brought a harsher dip in her voice. She slowly turned around when he emerged from the gates, arms crossed in ignorance, feigning a quiet disinterest.

Even then, as he spoke with the High Summoner, the scent of leather still wafted to his nostrils, reminding Baralai about the stench of gun powder and sand in their shoes.

Behind him, the guards eyed the Gullwings warily. One false movement--the bat of his hand, a slight tremor of acknowledgement in his voice, he knew, would lead his two years of hard work in jeopardy. Nooj would be satisfied to see how well he was trained, soft spoken, calm and refined. Nary a wrinkle or a speck of dust on his Praetor's robe. Sphere hunters were quickly becoming a career choice for the Spirans, and the High Summoner's group was a grain of sand in the desert. Expressing familiarity with the female swordsman would give too much material for the gossip columnists in Luca Daily.

The way she rolled her eyes at his words made Baralai remember about their initial meeting. There's an old coat stained with blood--a bullet hole somewhere on the back, hidden deep in his drawer and he wondered if she did the same.

He learned the truth much later when they were sitting together on the Luca's port, their announcement earlier that day had brought a mixed effect to the members of both factions.

"It missed my heart by an inch," Paine stated, poking at her chest, a solemn look as her eyes combed the ocean. "I guess because it's meant to be that way."

She had done the exact same thing—keeping the bloodied material somewhere it remained hidden, but would emerge as soon as she began rummaging for spare clothes. Absolutely clueless on how to treat it.

Gippal's had burned along with the destruction of Home—but they both knew the Al Bhed's practicality had saved him from heartache most of the time.

"Where did you leave yours?"

He couldn't find it anywhere after their journey into the Farplane. Groggy, satisfied, half-dead, he had woken up in his bed when the thought crossed his mind. The thing he just couldn't let go.

"It's gone," he answered, rising to his feet, feeling Paine's eyes follow his every movement. "the maid must have found it, and decided it was trash."

"I left mine in Celcius."

"So you could get it back whenever you're feeling for a ride?" he said, extending her a hand.

She stifled a chuckle. "So Brother would have something decent to wear."

She accepted the offered hand, and for a moment, Baralai could swear that her face said not to let go.


	27. Oceans Away

Summary: Baralai and Nooj meet again two years after the incident at Kilika Highroad, but someone else's intentions doesn't bode well for a reunion.

*

Through the years, Nooj tries to kill time by counting the intensity of the waves that overlap on the side of every ship he has boarded. They resonate with each stroke on the wood, sending burst of salty spray on the passenger's face. Warms days are a blessing, when his amputated limbs don't feel under the weather.

He recognizes the distinctive white hair and dark skin first, not the green robe still full of Yevonite inscriptions. Baralai has his eyebrows scrunched at the sea, perched on the railings, probably willing in his heart for Sin to be reborn and decimate the world once more.

Nooj tries to approach him soundlessly, he knows the effort takes a lot with years of practice, but then Baralai is too cautious a man to not notice someone with a steel limb inching toward him on a wooden surface.

The lines of Baralai's face are bereft of any malice or joy at the sight of Nooj, just unsaid greetings and blankness, as if addressing a stranger.

"It's been a while, Baralai," Nooj starts, breaking the ice.

The sky is clear with two gulls flying overhead, so Nooj has to narrows his eyes when Baralai moves, his silver mane nearly blinding in the afternoon sun. The younger man's voice coalesces with the ocean when he speaks. "Two years."

This is the man who once trained, shot, laughed and lived by his side, trusted Nooj enough to show his back, Nooj recalls these with a pang and yet—the fingers of his mechanic arm twitch slowly, and something—somebody inside his mind beckons yet again.

"The New Yevon party has been busy it seems," Nooj continues, ignoring the whispers in his head, "what's your purpose this time?"

"I'll be stopping at Kilika to meet the head priest," Baralai admits, but not confiding any further. "And you?"

"An operation is underway," For seeking spheres, he does not say, "Lucil is over there, but they want me to come over."

"Delivering figurative speech and flowery words to boost the troop's morale in plundering spheres?" Baralai's nose wrinkles before he walks forward, but his timbre is flat, disinterested. "You still can't resist being the leader."

"What about you? I heard the current praetor's son ask the High Summoner's hand in marriage, but she flat out refused, and their popularity significantly drops in the party ever since. The next one in line…" here Nooj stares at Baralai, long enough to insinuate his words.

"We need a leader after Lord Trema's disappearance," Baralai tackles, waving a hand as if to emphasize his situation, "Bevelle is a vast place with intricate mazes and underground, one can easily get lost in it."

If only Baralai's pause doesn't catch on his ears, Nooj would have stop then and there, pretending the whispers in his head don't exist. "You must have infiltrated the old records, Baralai."

Slowly, a small scowl creeps to Baralai's eyes. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

From his past experiences, he knows that Gippal's the short-tempered one, but Baralai's easier to expose if he knows the right buttons to push. Especially if he's Nooj: former Crusader, deathseeker, ex-comrade-in-arms, Meyvn of the Youth League.

_A backstabber_.

"You've done research on Bevelle's underground."

Nooj's last words hang uneasily between them, their silence fills with the gulls' cry and crushing waves. One of the sailors exclaims something about reaching dry land soon. Despite his chattiness, Nooj feels his head empty of his own thoughts and his mouth moving on his accord about a giant machina's specifications—a stranger is slowly invading his brain with words of _guns, ancient weapon, Vegnagun, Bevelle, underground, and time, time, there's not enough time until_--

"Enough!"

It only takes a moment to realize the word comes from Baralai instead of him, the younger man has furls his fingers into fists, his dark cheeks slightly tinged. The swarm of hisses and incessant murmurs vanish altogether inside Nooj's head, and when he squints up to inspect his surrounding, he finds that the ship already reaches the port.

"I'm getting off," Baralai informs, and gestures the plank that the sailors has lowered for the passengers to reach Kilika. "After you, Nooj."

Knowing the reason to that offer, he silently backs down and digs his cane into the wooden floor to turn to the exit. The knowledge of exposing his back is vividly alarming even for him.

"I'll contact you soon. Let's meet up with Gippal again, just the three of us." Nooj watches as Baralai's façade slowly morphs into a blank slate again. "We have so many things to catch up."


End file.
